Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-25
CLOUDS on CLOUDS.
The Preparation In Europe for a Deadly
Clash of Arms.


!
| Il: IS evident that the whole If Europe
is preparing for a deadly conflict of arms.
There is hardly possibility of peace be-
yond the spring. One can almost feel the
dreadful events before their time, Just as
veteran of the line becomes conscious
of impending battle. The heavy tramp OF
troops on the evening preceding a con-
| tlict, the arrangement of the artillery, the
ominous distribution of ammunition, the
movement of the wagons and the sick to
the rear, the marching and counter
marching Ct cavalry, aud the hurry ing of
couriers to and fro, are signs which one
acquainted with war cannot mistake.
The military movements throughout
Europe are hsrdly less significant. In
spite OF the surveillance over the press
and the telegraph and the extreme eau
ton Of officials. II is plain TO the careful
observer that the hour of trial is close at
! hand. The exact locality of the signal
gun whCse boom Will open the bal! is
alone III dvEb.. Oar cpinjon is the sound
will first come from Eastern Europe.
Russia realizes her opportunity, and she
rarely lets an opportunity slip There
has been no occasion within the lsst 200
years when 8 chance for the TX.
tension OF that remarkable empire was
overlooked. Within mat time sturdy
youth, the heir to the throne and future
Car, turning his back on the Injuries
and sensualities of court life, labored
with his Own hands ia the factories of
Holland and England, acquiring the me-
CnSnical arts, that he might return and
teach his bar5arous subjects how to COLI
struct slipS and TO manufacture arms.
Up TO that time, his country had been
ravaged by enemies on every side. 1t
had been invaded and conquered by Swe-
den, reduced to state Of slavery by the
Tarters, and held in subsection even by
the Poles. But this same sierra and la
oorious youth, rising to maturity, beat
Charles MI. at Pultowa, and started his
empire on its unparalleled career of con-
quest and civilization. Indeed, within
less than q century it has conquered from
Sweden territory greater than what is
left OF that kingdom, has absorbed a great
portion CT Turkey in Europe, and ar area
from Turkey IN Asia equal to the smaller
states OF Gcrmany, the Rlenish provinces
OF Prussia, Belgium and Holland, a porti n
OF Persia as large as England, a part Of
Tartsry as large as any two European
Haticps combined; has advanced its
frontier 1000 miles toward Vieuna, 500
more in the dire elton of Berlin, Dresden
and Paris, geo miles nearer Con-
stantipopa and 1900 nearer India
This is the same country Of which Lord
BoiingbroAe said as late as 1886 that sits
history contains nothing which an Eng
lish statesman need acquire"
The present Gar is Loyalty and iudefat-
igably pursuing the programme mapped
out by Peter the Crest. He IS only exc
cutting the plans OF lis progenitor. 50
great has been his success and that Of his
father that the new audhither to de pissed
emf ire is now the most ambitious and
dang rouS force in Europe Austria is
trembling to-day because Of the massiEg
of Russian troops near hsr frontier, and
Germany watches with hardly lessanxiety
the intrigues of the Russian court and
the movement OF the Russian cavalry jus:
beyond her northern border. England
has, OF course, been the chief obstruction
to Russian aggression in the east; but rs
soon as the clarion of battle SQUADS in
any part of Europe Russia will attempt
TO overpower Austria, defy England and
seize COnstsntinOple.
While public attention is specially d.
rected to the threatened collision between
France and Germany, the world may ut
any NOM Mt be startled by the boom OF
Russian cannon in the east. As critical
as the situation unquesiionaoly is in
Western Europe, it is there that the war
cloud is darkest and most threatening.
When all these conditions are considered
it is Clear that nothing short of miracle
can save the whole OF Europe from con-
fics to which history affords no parallel.